Violin



April 15, 1930. M. LENTZ 1,754,686

VIOL IN I Filed Dec 51, 1928 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR.

A ril 15, 1930. H. M. LENTZ 1,7 6

VIOLIN Filed Dec. 31, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m'rlvfa 65$ INVENTOR.

W1, HER/14AM M'LENTZ BY l r MW ATTORIYEY.

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIOLIN Application filed December 31, 1928. Serial No. 329,492.

This invention relates to improvements in stringed musical instruments and more particularly to an improvement in violins and the invention has as one of its objects to provide a violin which will possess a deeper, more prolonged, and more resonant tone than violins as ordinarily constructed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a violin embodying an auxiliary resonance unit which will amplify the tones and render the same more melodious than the tones which are produced by the playing of the ordinary violin.

While the accompanying drawings and the description which is tofollow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section illustrating the violin embodying the invention;

V Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the amplifier unit removed from the instrument proper;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 7 is a detail section illustrating the means employed for connecting the tine receiving sleeves on the lower wall of the bell.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, the violin proper is of substantially the same construction asthe ordinary violin, embodying the usual hollow body indicated in general by the numerall and comprising the usual belly 2 which is preferably of spruce, the usual back 3, which is preferably of maple, and the sides iwhich are preferably of oak. The neck of the instrument is indicated in general by the numeral 5 and is provided with the usual head 6 carrying the keys 7 to which are connected the strings 8 of the instrument, these strings being led, as usual, over the finger board bridge indicated by the numeral 9 and above the usual finger board 10 which extends above the neck 5 and ordinarily above and in spaced relation to the belly 2 of the body 1.

The neck 5 of the violin embodying the invention differs somewhat from the neck of the ordinary violin inasmuch as it is provided, at its inner end, with an extension 11 which is, cross sectionally, of hollow rectangular form and comprises a top wall 12 and side walls 13, the extension being united to the face of the belly 2 of the body'l at the lower edges of its sidewalls 13 as indicated by the numeral 14, and extending along opposite sides of a longitudinal opening 15 formed in the said belly which opening extends from the inner end of the neck proper toa point near the rear or butt end of the body 1 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The bridge of the instrument, indicated by the numeral 16 and which is the bridge ordinarily mounted upon the belly of the body 1, is, in the'instance of the present invention, mounted upon the top wall 12 of the exten sion 11 of the neck 5 near the rear end of said extension and the extension is formed at its rear end, interiorly, to accommodate another extension or section which is indicated by the 8 numeral 17 and which is preferably of a resonant or resilient sheet metal and provided with a short cylindrical neck portion 18 which is fitted into the said rear end of the extension 11, the extension'member 17 being tapered in the direction of its other end and extending somewhatbeyond the butt end of the body 1.

The tail piece of the ordinary violin is, in the instance of the present invention, replaced by a tail piece unit which is indicated in the drawings, in general, by the numeral 19, and this unit is preferably made of some resonant metal such for example as steel or and are soldered, riveted, welded, or otherwise secured to the said extension. As will be understood, by reference to the several figures of the drawings, the head 22 is preferably of rectangular form and of dimensions slightly greater than the diameter of the inner or rear end of the extension section 17 of the neck 5.

' The tail unit further includes a vibratory arm 27 which is of a resonant metal and which is united at one end to the rear end of the extension 22. The sides thereof can be secured to the arms 23, and a stem 28 extends from the outer side of the arm at its rear end and supports a spherical head or ball 29 which is engaged by the companion members of a socket 30 provided upon a vibratory unit of the device which unit is indicated in general by the numeral 31 and will now be specifically described.

The unit 31 comprises a series of vibratory resonant tines two of which are indicated by the numeral 32 and the third by the numeral 33 and the tines are arranged substantially parallel to one another, the tine 33 being arranged parallel to and midway between the tines 32, a yoke 34 being formed integrally with the tines 32 and connecting the same and the tine 33 being integral at its forward end with the intermediate portion of the yoke. The socket 29 comprises a section which is interiorly substantially semi-spherical and which is formed integral with the yoke and a member or section 35 which is assembled therewith and embraces the other side of the ball 29 and is bolted or otherwise secured to the first mentioned section or more specifically to the yoke 34 as indicated by the numeral 36. The bell of the amplifying unit is indicated in general by the numeral 3'7 and the same is formed of any suitable resonant sheet metal and comprises a substantially conical body 38 having a central opening 39 at its apex which opening is surrounded by a conical neck indicated by the numeral 40 which is of the same material as the body 38. The enlarged lower end of the body 38 can be closed by a bottom wall 41, which is provided with a plurality of slots 42. These slots receive the arms 43 of substantially cylindrical sleeves 44 into which the tines 32 and 33 are frictionally fitted and held. It is to be noted that the arms 43, after being inserted in the slots 42, are bent at right angles into engagement with the inner face of the lower wall and are then soldered or otherwise secured in position. It can be seen that the vibrations Wave outlet extension, a tail unit associated with the extension and including an element for the connection ofithe strings of the instrument,a bridge upon the said neck continuation, the-tail unit further including a vibratory arm of resilient metal, an ampli-.

fier, and means connecting the armwith the amplifier for transmitting tone vibrations thereto.

2. In a stringed musical instrument of the violin type, a body, a finger-board support ing neck thereon having a hollow, resonant continuation extending from its inner end over the belly of the instrument body, the said continuation having a resonant soundwave outlet extension, an amplifier unit, and means for transmitting tone vibrations from the'sound-wave outlet extension to said amplifying unit.

3. In a stringed musical instrument of the violin type, a body, a finger-board supporting neck thereon having a hollow, resonant continuation extending from its inner end over the belly of the instrument body, the said continuation having a resonant sound-wave out let extension, the said belly of the body having a longitudinal-opening establishing communication between the interior of the body and the interior of the continuation, a tail unit associated with the extension and including an element for the connection of the strings of the instrument, a bridge upon the said neck continuation, the tail unit further including a vibratory arm of resilient metal, an amplifier, and means connecting the arm with the amplifier for transmitting tone vibrations thereto.

4:. In a stringed musical instrument of the violin type, a body, a finger-board supporting neck thereon having a hollow, resonant continuation extending from its inner end over the belly of the instrumentbody, the said continuation having a resonant sound-wave outlet extension, a tail unit associated with the extension and including an element for the connection of the strings of the instrument, a bridge upon the said neck continuation, the tail unit further including a vibratory arm of resilient metal, an amplifier, and means connecting the arm with the amplifier for transmitting tone. vibrations thereto, the said means comprising resonant, vi-

bratory tines extending from the arm and" violin type, a body, a finger-board supporting neck thereon having a hollow, resonant continuation extending from its inner end over the belly of the instrument body, the belly of the instrument body having an opening therein establishing communication between the interior of the body and the interior of the said resonant continuation, the said continuation having a resonant soundwave outlet extension, a tail unit associated with the extension and including a resonant element for the connection of the strings of the instrument, a bridge upon the said neck continuation over which the strings are to be stretched, the tail unit further including a Vibratory arm of resilient metal, an amplifier comprising a bell of resonant material,

and resonant, vibratory tines connected with the said arm and with the wall of the said hell.

6. In a stringed musical instrument of the violin type, a body, a finger-board supporting neck thereon having a hollow, resonant continuation extending from its inner end over the belly of the instrument body, the belly of the instrument body having an opening therein establishing communication between the interior of the body and the interior of the said resonant continuation, the said continuation having a resonant soundwave outlet extension, a tail unit associated with the extension and including a resonant element for the connection of the strings of the instrument, a bridge upon the said neck continuation over which the strings are to be stretched, the tail unit further including a vibratory arm of resilient metal, and an amplifying unit comprising a bell of resonant material having a central opening and a con ical neck surrounding said opening and exterior to the bell, brackets extending inwardly from the wall of the bell, and a plurality of resonant, vibratory tines extending from the said arm and engaged with said brackets ior transmitting tone vibrations from the arm to the wall of the bell.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERMAN M. LENTZ. 

